Sanaa , Yemen -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than a million anti-government youth gathered for protests in virtually all of Yemen 's provinces , witnesses said Friday , a day the protesters dubbed `` Friday of victory from God . ''

The largest protest was in Taiz , where more than 500,000 went into Freedom Square , numerous eyewitnesses estimated .

`` We will not stop marching and protesting . We feel that victory for the Yemeni revolution is near , and our patience will pay off very soon , '' said Mansoor al-Mukbili , a youth protester in Sanaa , the nation 's capital .

He said the regime is gasping its last breath and the protesters will continue seeking peaceful change and denounce any sort of violence .

Fuad Himyari , the head of prayers in Sanaa 's Change Square , called on youth protesters to stand firm , saying the battle against the oppressive regime is coming to an end .

Pro-government protests were also witnessed in the capital as President Ali Abdullah Saleh 's followers continue to gather , though in small numbers .

More than 50,000 supporters showed up in Sabeen Square , 2 kilometers from the Presidential Palace . Pro-Saleh chants were repeated for more than two hours .

`` Saleh , Saleh , we will defend you and support you , '' his supporters repeated .

Protests demanding the ouster of Saleh have been going on for eight months . The ruling General People 's Congress has been continuously urging dialogue .

`` In the end the only way to solve the Yemeni crisis is through dialogue . We call opposition forces to the dialogue table , '' said Hasan al-Lawzi , the information minister .

Abdu al-Ganadi , the deputy information minister , advised the opposition that Yemen is not Egypt and Tunisia , and that no one side will be able to solve the current crisis .

`` We need to work together to rid the country from the political stalemate , '' he said .

Opposition parties insist they will not be involved in any dialogue with the Saleh regime .

`` The Gulf power transfer proposal was on the table for months and Saleh refused to sign it , '' said Ahmed Bahri , head of the political circle for the opposition Haq party . `` He was guaranteed immunity and we can not guarantee he will get it in the end . ''

The proposal was put forward in May by the Gulf Cooperation Council , made up of six nations on the Arabian Peninsula . Saleh had initially indicated he would go along with it , but then refused to sign .

In the southern Abyan province , government forces are gaining ground in the fight against suspected al Qaeda militants .

The government said troops succeeded Thursday night in taking over al-Kod , a strategic town in the outskirts of Zinjibar , the capital of the province .

The armed militants fled the town and are regrouping as government forces attempt to enter Zinjibar , officials said .

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Witnesses say more than 500,000 protesters gather in Taiz

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In Sanaa , protesters and a smaller number of Saleh supporters gathered

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Protesters rebuff the ruling General People 's Congress ' call for dialogue